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What Symbol is Used for Division in Math?

Answer – In math, the symbol for division is represented by the obelus, i.e., ÷.

Explanation: 

The obelus is represented by a short horizontal line with a dot above and a dot below. It indicates division in math, where one quantity is divided by another. 

For example, in the expression 10 ÷ 5,  the obelus symbol represents the operation of dividing 10 by 5, resulting in an answer of 2.

This division symbol is attributed to Johann Rahn, a Swiss mathematician, who introduced it in his book Teutsche Algebra in 1659. Other symbols that can represent division include the slash (/), the colon (:), and the fraction bar (‒). The ISO 80000-2 standard for mathematical notation recommends only the solidus (/) or colon (:) for division, but the obelus (÷) is still used extensively.


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